Supporting Affected Others: Recognizing and Responding to Gambling Harm (Spring 2026)

This training examines how gambling problems create a ripple effect, impacting the gambler’s family and others close to them, referred to as affected others. Participants will learn about the financial, social, and health harms that affected others may experience, and how the impact can vary depending on the relationship to the gambler. This training introduces the Stress-Strain-Coping-Support model and the 5-Step Method as frameworks for understanding affected others’ experiences and guiding interventions. Finally, this training will explore practical strategies that affected others can use to manage gambling harm, strengthen resilience, and promote overall well-being.

Cost: Free

Location: Virtual

Number of CE(s): 1.0

Instructional Level: Introductory

Agenda:

1. Introduction to affected others and gambling harm
2. Overview of financial, social, and health harms
3. Activity: Case vignette discussion
4. Understanding, recognizing, and responding to gambling harm
5. Practical strategies affected others can use to manage harm and promote well-being

Learning Objectives:

As a result of completing this training, you will be better prepared to…

1. Explain the financial, social, and health harms of gambling on affected others, and how these harms may differ depending on the relationship to the gambler.
2. Apply the Stress-Strain-Coping-Support model and the 5-Step Method as frameworks to understand affected others’ experiences and guide interventions.
3. Identify strategies that affected others can use to manage gambling harm and promote well-being.

Instructor Bios:

Instructor #1: Kira Landauer, MPH. Kira is a Community Health Educator Supervisor at the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance and is part of M-TAC’s Training and Education team. She has 6 years of experience working in the field of addiction, with a focus on gambling. Kira has developed and facilitated live trainings and online courses, provided technical assistance and capacity building services, and created educational materials for allied health professionals, recovery and support providers, and others. She manages Gambling Disorder Screening Day – an international, grassroots initiative started by the Division on Addiction to encourage screening for Gambling Disorder. Kira is particularly interested in the impacts of gambling harm, and addiction more broadly, on affected others. She earned her MPH from the Boston University School of Public Health and completed a Learning Design and Technology Graduate Certificate from Harvard Extension School.

Instructor #2: Shantel Mercedes, MPH. Shantel is a Program Associate at Health Resources in Action and works on the Training and Education team for M-TAC. She has 3 years of experience working in the gambling addiction field and has facilitated online trainings on a variety of trainings related to Gambling Disorder. She is particularly interested in the cultural significance and influence regarding common problem gambling behaviors. She has a BA in Public Health and Health Equity from Mills College and an MPH from Simmons University.

Instructor #3: Maya A. Williams-Bond-Jackson LMHC, CCTP-II, MA PGS II, ADHD-CCSP, CCATP. Maya is an Integrative Clinical Therapist who advantageously became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 10 years of experience working with various populations nationwide. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the illustrious Clark Atlanta University, a historically black college and university (HBCU) in Atlanta, Georgia. Maya then sought to earn her master’s degree in clinical psychology and graduated from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Maya provides integrative therapeutic care at her private practice with an emphasis on neurodivergency, complexities of trauma, gender and sexual identity, affirmation, and expression, anxiety and mood disorders, chronic medical conditions, and impulsivity. As a Clinical Consultant for the M-TAC organization, she supports and develops educational contact primarily focusing on psychoeducation about Gambling Disorder and its biopsychosocial layers.

Approval Statements:

• NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals – This course has been approved by the Division on Addiction, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #84058, the Division on Addiction is responsible for all aspects of the programing.
• National Association of Social Workers (NASW) – This program has been approved for 1.0 Social Work Continuing Education hour for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approving Program, Authorization Number D 20295. 
• Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) – The Massachusetts Technical Assistance Center for Problem Gambling Treatment is authorized by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to sponsor, conduct or approve continuing education programs for alcohol and drug counselors/assistants (LADCs). This program offers 1.0 continuing education credits.

Funding Statement: The Division on Addiction and Health Resources in Action collaborate to produce M-TAC trainings, courses, and resources, which are funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Problem Gambling Services. The instructors have no financial interests that might create a conflict of interest in the development or delivery of this training. Click here to access our full list of our funders and conflict of interest/grievance policies and procedures.